Legislation (Declaration) Amendment Bill 2016

Overview

This bill fixes administrative errors that happened when two recent Acts were sent to the Governor for sign-off. Wrong versions of the Mental Health Act 2016 and Racing Integrity Act 2016 were presented for assent, so this bill declares both Acts valid from the start and confirms the correct wording.

Who it affects

The fix is technical and affects no one directly day-to-day, but it provides legal certainty for people treated under mental health laws and for the racing industry.

Key changes

• Declares the Mental Health Act 2016 valid and always has been, despite the wrong version being signed on 4 March 2016
• Declares the Racing Integrity Act 2016 valid and always has been, despite the wrong version being signed on 27 April 2016
• Confirms the correct wording of specific sections in both Acts as passed by Parliament
• Fixes a minor incorrect cross-reference in section 9AI of the Racing Act 2002
• The validating chapters expire the day after they commence, once they have done their job